


What it Means to be a Guardian

by Spidie



Category: Guardians of the Galaxy (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man - All Media Types, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Genre: Dead May Parker (Spider-Man), F/M, Fluff and Humor, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Post-Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), Protective Tony Stark, Sad Peter Parker, Tony Stark Has A Heart, i might add more later - Freeform, idk what tags to add, sorry - Freeform, this is my first fic y'all, wish me luck lolol
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-31
Updated: 2019-05-11
Packaged: 2019-12-27 01:48:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 10,625
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18294389
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spidie/pseuds/Spidie
Summary: An accident leaves Peter Parker in the care of Tony Stark, and Tony is willing to step up and take care of his kid. However, he's not sure he has what it takes to be the best guardian for the kid, and how is he even sure that Peter wants to stay with him?OrPeter and Tony discover what family really means to them, with a little help along the way.





	1. 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey y'all! 
> 
> Thanks for clicking on this story! This is actually my first ever fanfiction, so I hope it's alright. I've had this idea in my head for forever, and have just never written it down. I was hoping to finish it before Endgame but I don't think that's likely. I'm going to try and post every Saturday, but I'm busy so some weeks may be skipped. 
> 
> Also, I'm sorry for killing Aunt May, I love her, but it had to happen for the story. Let me know what you think in the comments!

Tony got the call at 11:30 that night. Peter had come by after school that day, a Friday, to work in the lab with him, something they’d been doing for a few months now. Tony liked having Peter around, the kid was smart, and it reassured him to see the kid chattering in his lab... alive. After everything that had happened, Tony thought maybe he needed this more than the kid did. The rogue Avengers had been pardoned, but they were all taking a break from hero-ing in different parts of the world, so it was kind of lonely at the compound sometimes.

Peter left around 6:00 to meet his Aunt for dinner. It was the last day of Peter’s junior year and May wanted to take him out to celebrate. They’d offered for Tony to come, and he normally would, but he felt like he should let May and Peter have this time together, for once. He was in their lives a lot now. And besides, he and Pepper could use the time to order in and spend a nice night together, he’d told them.

They’d done just that, until Pepper got an emergency call for work and Tony decided to go down and work in the lab until she finished.

“Incoming call from: Flushing Hospital,” FRIDAY announced.

“What?” Tony jumped. That was in Queens- what was going on?

“Would you like me to answer, boss?” FRIDAY asked.

“Yeah, FRIDAY, please!” Tony gripped the table he was standing near as he waited.

“H-hello?” A voice came over the speakers.

“Yes, hello, this is Tony Stark, what’s going on?”

“Ah! Mr. Stark sir... uh, well... ah, there’s been an accident, and you were listed as an emergency contact for-“

“Peter, is he okay?” Tony felt like his heart was beating out of his chest. He moved the conversation to his actual phone and raced upstairs. 

“Ah, Peter Parker? He’s okay, a little banged up but nothing too serious. It’s, uh, it’s May Parker. She and Peter were in a car accident and she had to go into intensive surgery and... she didn’t make it,” the voice informed him solemnly.

“What? May... a-are you sure?” Tony’s brain froze and had to do a switch, and he felt his breathing speed up. He forgot he was also one of May’s contacts now. He passed a concerned looking Pepper on his way outside, his nanotech suit already forming around himself. “Why wasn’t I called right away?”

“We’re sorry, sir, we’re short-staffed tonight and they didn’t know whether this number was real... and Mr. Parker wasn’t exactly cooperating, either.”

“Of course he wasn’t!” Tony fumed. “Kid’s gotta be in shock! I’m on my way,” Tony ended the call angrily. May Parker... dead. She was all Peter had left. That poor kid had been through too much and it made Tony feel sick. The state would probably try to take him, even though he was almost 17 and could probably take care of himself. Tony wasn’t gonna let that happen. He called Pepper from his suit, already in the air.

“Tony?” she answered, worried. “What’s going on, is everything okay?”

“Ah, no... it’s not. May Parker died in a car accident. I’m on my way to the hospital now. I need you to get papers ready, I’m gonna take guardianship of Peter.” Tony’s voice shook as he spoke.

“No... May? No...” Pepper sounded horrified. “That poor kid... I’m on it Tony, don’t worry. I love you.”

“Love you too, Pep,” Tony replied as he hung up, touching down outside the hospital. He practically ran inside, startling a few people, and asked the lady at the front to see Peter.

“Oh, Mr. Stark! Yes, right through here!” He drowned her voice out as they walked, moving much too slow for his liking. They finally reached the wing where May had been in her surgery, and he found Peter in a chair, staring numbly at his hands. The kid had a few stitched up cuts and some bruises, and his lip was swollen pretty bad.

“Hey, kid.” Tony said breathed out, sitting in the chair next to him, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. Peter barely acknowledged him, simply leaning into Tony’s touch as tears tracked his cheeks. They sat like that for a minute before a nurse cleared his throat. Tony gave him a glare.

“So sorry, Mr. Stark... but we’re gonna need you to sign some forms. For... uh, for May’s body, and so you can take Mr. Parker home.”

Peter quaked at the mention of May, and Tony held him closer.

“Put them down and I’ll sign them in a moment,” he sighed. After rubbing his hand on Peter’s back and through his hair, he spoke to him.

“It’s gonna be okay, kid. I’ve got you. I just gotta sign these forms and then I’ll get us out of here, alright?”

Peter was still for a moment longer before nodding shakily. Tony removed his arm to sign the papers. He told the nurse he’d arrange the funeral and pay for all the medical costs and then he stood with his hand on Peter’s shoulder.

“Okay, kid, we can go now. Let’s get out of here and get you to bed. Your body needs rest to heal.”

Peter didn’t reply, but he slowly stood, and Tony wrapped his arms around the kid again to walk him out. He found Happy waiting outside, and Tony realized Pepper must have called him. Tony was glad, because he didn’t think flying a shocked and injured kid across the state was a good idea right now. He got Peter in the car and sat next to him, Peter leaning on his shoulder again. Happy started driving, glancing worriedly in his mirror every now and then. Tony stared at the kid, who’d fallen asleep in his arms. He already knew the kid was like a son to him, but now Tony really needed to be there for him, and the thought terrified him. As he and Happy helped get Peter to bed, Tony hoped he wouldn’t screw this up.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! This is a pretty short chapter today, still just building the story. I might find time this week to post the next one before Saturday, it's mostly written already. Anyway, hope you enjoy this chapter!

Peter woke up in a daze. He was in his room in the compound, he realized, but he wasn’t sure why, because hadn’t he left yesterday to have dinner with-

Peter bolted upright in bed. His body seared with pain and he gasped in shock.

“FRIDAY? W-what’s going on? Why am I here?”

“Boss and Mr. Hogan brought you here 6 hours ago,” the AI answered calmly. Before Peter could ask anything else, he heard footsteps racing to his room.

“Pete?” Mr. Stark opened the door, seeming slightly out of breath. “You’re awake!”

“Mr. Stark!” Peter exclaimed. “Why am I here? What happened? Where’s May?”

“Ah...” Mr. Stark sat on Peter’s bed, his face distressed. “Peter... you and your aunt were in a car accident last night... she didn’t make it.”

Memories rushed back into Peter’s head. He and May laughing and singing one of her 80’s songs in the car. His spidey senses suddenly going wild before his body slams into the window. Someone screaming and the world ringing. He vaguely remembers being in the hospital, doctors looking at him before he was brought to sit in a chair outside while people operated on his aunt in the next room. He remembers feeling Mr. Stark’s arms around him, and that’s when everything all starts to blur.

“No...” he whispered. “It can’t- she can’t... she can’t be dead! She can’t!” He yelled, feeling hot tears run down his face. Mr. Stark just looked at him sadly, and Peter broke down. “I don’t have anyone else, she’s all I had left...” he sobbed.

“I know, kid...” Mr. Stark pulled Peter into his chest and rubbed a hand on Peter’s back. “I’m so, so sorry...”

They remained like that for a while, until Peter’s tears eventually dried up and he yawned against his will. “Sorry for ruining your clothes, Mr. Stark... I just... I don’t know what I’m gonna do without her...” his voice cracked as he spoke.

Tony pulled back, holding Peter’s shoulders and looking into his eyes. “Don’t apologize, kid. It sucks. It’s gonna be rough for a while, and that’s okay. But I’ve got you for now. Alright? I think you should try to go back to sleep, and we’ll deal with everything else later, okay?”

Peter yawned again, he knew his body was still exhausted, but he didn’t think he could sleep. He shook his head weakly and Mr. Stark sighed.

“Alright, I’ll turn on a movie and stay here until you fall asleep. But you need to rest,” he said, sliding next to Peter on the bed and pulling him close. He turned on the screen in the room, pulling up some Disney movie. Peter tried to pay attention to it to distract himself, but it was hard. Eventually his brain felt so heavy that he drifted back to sleep, Mr. Stark holding him the whole time.

***

When Peter woke up again, it was late afternoon and Mr. Stark was gone. FRIDAY told him that he was waiting for him in the kitchen. He eventually dragged himself out of bed and wandered over there.

“Hey, kid...” Mr. Stark said by the microwave, pulling out a plate of pancakes. “I made a late breakfast for you, I’m just heating it up again.”

“I’m not hungry.”

“I know, but you’re still a super-teen so your body has to eat. Please just eat a little,” he put the plate in Peter’s hands, and Peter nodded, pouring syrup and eating mechanically, not really tasting them. About halfway through he started feeling sick, and he pushed the plate away.

“You done?” Mr. Stark asked, picking it up and bringing it to the sink. “Alright, well... we gotta talk about a few things, like, uh, the funeral, for your aunt.” he hesitated when Peter stiffened, but he swallowed and kept going. “I’ll handle everything, if you’d like, but I just need to know where she should be buried...”

Peter nodded, he was glad Mr. Stark was willing to help, because he didn’t think he could do anything right now. He muttered the name of the cemetery where Uncle Ben and his parents were buried and Mr. Stark nodded, telling FRIDAY to put that with his notes. Peter then asked to be excused, and Mr. Stark sighed sadly, letting him go. Peter shuffled back to his room and went back under his covers, staring at the wall.

He wondered what was going to happen to him now. Mr. Stark said he had him for now, but what did that mean? What if he couldn’t or wouldn’t take him in? Sure, they were closer now, but taking in a kid permanently was a big deal. Peter wasn’t sure Mr. Stark would want to do that. Maybe he could go live with Ned. Or file for emancipation, he was almost 17 anyway. But Peter didn’t have any money, and he didn’t know where he would go or how he would live. He hated feeling uncertain. He was angry his life got upended like this, in an instant. He was angry he couldn’t save May, that he was so weak despite his powers. He sat up and grabbed a pillow, throwing it across the room, where it hit the wall with a thud. He was so angry that everyone he cared about left him. It wasn’t fair! He wanted to break something, but then he felt too tired to move. He turned over and screamed into his other pillow, tears running down his face.

“Mr. Parker, you appear to be in distress, would you like me to alert Mr. Stark?” FRIDAY asked.

Peter didn’t move, muttering a “no” from his pillow as he faded back into sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haha a lot of sleeping this chapter. Poor Peter :( 
> 
> Let me know what you guys think! I promise it will get more interesting soon!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! I'm posting this a day early because I'm travelling home from college tomorrow so I won't have time to post. Hope y'all enjoy!

The funeral was a pretty quiet event. Peter had said a few words, but it was pretty quick and he’d looked close to breaking down the whole time. Tony watched as the kid stiffly greeted everyone who came to give him well wishes afterward.

People from May’s work, kids from Peter’s school, and various others had come to say goodbye to May and to support Peter. Tony spotted Pete’s friends Ned and MJ whispering to each other and looking at Peter sadly for a bit before coming up and engulfing him in a hug that went on for a while.

The kid was having a hard time. Most of the time he just seemed numb, with bouts of anger and then lots of crying. Tony understood. He’d been rough when his parents, especially his mom, had died. He’d been ambivalent about Howard but a mess over his mother. Drinking had been his escape, but Peter wasn’t an adult, and this was the third time he had to attend his guardians’ funeral. The kid didn’t deserve this.

Pepper squeezed Tony’s hand and he leaned into his wife's touch. They’d agreed they would adopt Peter, but they had to talk to him about it. Another day, though. Today, they were going to go to his apartment and get a few things and then go to dinner, and let Peter process on his own a little longer before asking. Tony planned on helping the kid anyway, but it would make it a lot easier to adopt him. He was just glad Pepper had agreed. She loved the kid though, and said she was glad Tony was letting more people into his heart and life. It scared him half to death if he was being truthful, but he didn’t see another option, and besides, the kid was worth it. 

Ned’s mom gave Peter another hug before she, Ned and MJ left. Tony turned to Peter.

“Ready to go, kid?” he asked. The kid nodded and he and Pepper and Happy all walked to the car, Peter turning to the grave and touching her and Ben’s headstones before joining them.

The rest of the day went as expected, Peter grabbing photo albums and clothes from his apartment and Tony getting stuff ready to put in storage in case the kid wanted more later. Dinner was pretty quiet, the kid not finishing his food, and Pepper shot Tony a sad look as she had it boxed up. They got home and Peter shuffled off to bed. Tony sighed as he watched him go.

“What if he says no?” He whispered to Pepper.

She gave him a look of sympathy, touching his shoulder. “He won’t, Tony, he loves you. He’s just in a rough spot. But even if he did say no, which he won’t, I know he won’t be out of our lives. It’ll be okay. He’s a strong kid.”

“Yeah...” Tony sighed as he and Pepper headed off to their room. “I know he is.” The words ‘he shouldn’t have to be’ went unsaid in his mind.

***

The next few days passed by as a blur for Peter. After the funeral, Peter laid around in bed most days. He knew Mr. Stark was worried about him, but it was too hard to get up. He just kept thinking about how he’ll never see May’s goofy grin or hear her laugh again. And because it was summer, he didn’t even have the excuse of needing to go to school to motivate him to get up.

Ned and MJ texted and called when they could. He didn’t always answer, because he didn’t like to hear the pity in their voices. Ned was leaving for a vacation to Florida soon, and MJ had an art camp to go to. Both had actually offered to stay behind so they could spend time together, but Peter told them he’d be okay. He didn’t want to hold them back. 

Mr. Stark made Peter get up for meals everyday. He always offered to have lab time together, or to go out and do something, but Peter always refused. He felt a little bad, after everything that had happened on Titan, and all that Mr. Stark had done for him. It was just too hard for him right now. And Peter was scared that if he became too comfortable living there, it would just be that much harder when it came time to leave.

Yes, he knew Mr. Stark cared about him. But enough to take him in permanently? Mr. Stark didn’t sign up for that. He didn’t need the burden and curse that was Peter Parker in his life. Peter sighed as he stared at the wall, a single tear sliding down his cheek. He didn’t know what he was going to do.

“Mr. Parker, boss is wondering if you would like to join him in the living room for a movie tonight?” FRIDAY asked. Peter bit his lip, choking back a sob. Every time he started getting too low, stuff like this would happen, making it even harder for Peter to consider leaving. 

“Tell him not tonight, but maybe next time,” he forced out, before turning over and staring at the wall, eyelids drooping already.

***

Tony turned off the TV when FRIDAY told him Peter wasn’t coming. He rubbed a hand down his face with a sigh. He just didn’t know what to do with the kid. All of his attempts to get him to stay out of his room failed. He’d been letting it go for now, because it was still so fresh, but he knew this couldn’t last forever. 

He considered getting a counselor for Peter, but he wanted to wait and see how things went first. Peter had said he didn’t want any counseling after the so-called Infinity War, and while it’s been almost a year since then, he wanted to see how Peter would do before broaching the subject again. 

“Tony, come on to bed now,” Pepper called from the doorway. Tony blinked and stared at her for a second before moving. She’d been such a rock for him through this. She helped arrange the funeral and get new clothes and items for the kid. 

As he walked over, she squeezed him arm in a comforting way. “Steve and some others called. They heard about what happened. They were wondering if they should come by and visit?”

Tony shook his head. “No, I think Pete needs a little more time before being overwhelmed by the others. Maybe in a month or so they can come by.”

Pepper nodded. “I’ll let them know. You can tell Peter they send their love though.”

“Sure,” Tony said. He was on better terms with them all now, after everything, but it was still an uncomfortable subject for him. 

“Have you talked to Peter about adopting him yet?” Pepper asked. 

“No. I just don’t know if it’s the right time,” Tony said as they entered their room. Pepper gave him a sympathetic look as she started changing. 

“I don’t know if there’ll ever be a right time. But he needs to know that his place with us is permanent. I don’t want him worrying about anything.”

Tony’s lips quirked at the way Pepper had said us. “Yeah, I know. I’ll ask him tomorrow.”

“Alright,” Pepper said as she crawled into bed, giving Tony a kiss. “It’s going to be okay.”

“Yeah,” Tony murmured. He really hoped so.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I figure I should explain the timeline. So in my mind, Civil War happened Peter's freshman year, and then Homecoming was the fall of his sophomore year, with Infinity War/Endgame happening that spring. (I know once Endgame comes out that'll probably be wrong, but this is how I'm doing it). It's been almost a year, so Peter just finished his junior year. For now I'm not planning on touching the year in between, but that could change, idk. Pepper and Tony got married sometime in that year. 
> 
> Anyway, hope that makes sense! Thanks for reading! :)


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some unexpected visitors arrive...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I made it home from college! I have about 2 weeks until I leave for a summer internship, but that means 2 weeks of free time, so I'll be posting chapters more often while I'm home! Yay! Thanks to everyone who's read and left kudos and comments so far, I really appreciate it! Hopefully you enjoy this chapter, it's a bit more lighthearted! (It's also kinda short, but the next one is going to be a lot longer!)

The next morning, Tony got up pretty early, feeling anxious. Pepper had to work, she’d taken too many days off, so he was going to talk to Peter by himself.

He went to the kid’s room and opened the door to find the kid in bed, eyes open and staring at nothing. Peter blinked when Tony walked in.

“Hey kid,” he said. Peter sat up slowly.

“Hey,” he replied.

Tony moved closer to the bed, “I got something I want to ask you,” he started.

Peter shrugged, “alright.”

Tony took a deep breath. “Okay, so-”

“Boss, an extraterrestrial aircraft is approaching the compound. They are trying to contact you. Should I put them through?” FRIDAY interrupted.

“What?” Tony hissed. Not freaking aliens, again! He didn’t have time for this. “Stay here, Peter! I’ll deal with this and then be right back!”

Peter paled. “Don’t leave!” He cried out.

Tony froze by the door. Suddenly a voice rang out over FRIDAY’s speakers.

“Uh, hey, Iron-Dude! This is Star-Lord and crew, from, you know, space. We hope you’re doing well or whatever. We kindaa need a place to crash for a bit, so we’re landing in your field. But, you know, we come in peace and all that, so no need to freak out or anything. Hopefully we’ll see you in a bit! Okay Rocket, you can give him his AI back... c’mon man!” the voice faded out with laughter in the background.

Tony gripped the door handle, wanting to bang his head against the wall. He was glad it wasn’t a threat, but he did not have time for this! He glanced back to Peter, who seemed a little more alert than he’d been the past week. Peter looked back at him and gave him an embarrassed smile.

“Sorry, Mr. Stark, I thought it was something bad... can I come with you to greet them?”

Tony hesitated. He didn’t really want the kid to come, but he couldn’t see a reason to say no, and it would get the kid out of bed, so he just nodded. Peter hopped out of bed and threw on some shoes, following Tony in his PJ’s. Tony almost would have laughed if he wasn’t so stressed. They walked out to the clearing and saw the Guardian’s ship landing slowly. The door opened, and out walked Peter Quill.

“Hey man, it’s so good to see you! And little Peter! What’s up! How are you guys doing?”

“We’re fine,” Tony practically grit out. “What are you guys doing here? You’re not bringing any Earth-destroying aliens with you, right?”

“No, no, don’t worry! We just wanted to say hi!” Quill grinned.

“And we were being chased, and our ship got damaged, so we needed a safe place to stay!” Mantis smiled. Quill winced at her words.

“Okay, yeah, we were maybe being chased a little. Our ship maybe needs a few minor repairs. And Terra is a protected planet, so we knew we’d be safe here. But we also wanted to say hi!” 

Tony glanced at Nebula, who had rolled her eyes while Quill was speaking. “Sorry for intruding, Stark,” she said. “We’ll repair the ship and be gone in a few days.”

“Yeah, yeah, don’t worry!” Rocket waved his paw. “Hey, Spider-kid! I wanna see your web things, Quill was tellin’ me about them and they sound like the perfect tool for stealing stuff with!”

Peter startled, unsure what to say to that. “Um…” he started.

“We’re not doing that right now Mr. Rodent,” Tony cut in. “The kid’s been through a lot lately, and-”

“No, I don’t mind!” Peter jumped back in. “I can show him!”

Tony stared at the kid, surprised. He evaluated his options. On one hand, these Guardians were obnoxious. On the other, it would be good to see the kid up and about a bit more. He sighed. “Fine. But only after you go shower and eat. Come on, Space Jam, let’s go inside, I can order some food while Petey cleans up.”

The kid rolled his eyes, but headed inside, the Guardians and Tony following. 

“I still don’t understand why he is called Spider-Man when he is neither a spider nor a man,” Drax said. 

Groot looked up and pronounced, “I am Groot.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter leaves his room!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well I thought I'd have time to post again earlier this week but it's actually been pretty busy. Next week will be busy as well for me, unfortunately. But for sure I'll be posting every Saturday! Although End Game may wreck me, so who actually knows lolol. Anyway, hope you enjoy this chapter! :)

Peter showered, and for once he wasn't dreading going to the kitchen to eat. He hadn’t seen the Guardians of the Galaxy since everything had gone down, and he was looking forward to catching up, they always had something amusing to say.

When he reached the kitchen, he saw Mr. Stark and Nebula having a small conversation, and the rest of the Guardians were chatting over a take-out meal of burgers and fries. Mr. Stark eyed him questioningly, but before Peter could head over to him, one of the Guardians grabbed his attention.

“Little Pete!” Quill shouted. “Come get some food before Drax eats it all!” 

Peter smiled and took a spot next to Star-Lord, grabbing a burger or four. “How have you been, big Pete?” He asked.

“Great, man! Off defending the galaxy and saving the day!”

Gamora scoffed. “If by saving the day you mean getting caught stealing and then being forced to flee to Earth.”

Quill groaned. “It was for a good cause! The people of Torfa needed those meds!”

“I know,” Gamora said with a small smile. She turned to Peter. “Carol says hi, by the way. We ran into her on our way here, but she was heading out to some other planet to help them.”

“Oh wow! She’s so cool, I hope she can visit sometime too!” Peter gushed. He then jumped when a hand was placed on his head.

“Hello other Peter!” Mantis said. “Oh! You are mourning…” she trailed off, a smile falling from her face as tears appeared in her eyes.

“Hey, hands of the kid!” Mr. Stark shouted from the other side of the kitchen, making his way toward them.

“Mourning? What happened? Did someone die?” Quill asked, glancing between Peter and Mr. Stark. 

“My aunt, uh… there was a car accident about a week ago…” Peter explained, eyes misty.

“Oh no, Peter I’m so sorry!” Gamora said, a hand covering her mouth. 

Mr. Stark came and squeezed Peter’s shoulder. “You okay, kid?”

“Yeah, it’s okay, Mantis didn’t know,” he smiled at the alien shakily. 

“I am sorry Peter,” she said, still sniffling. 

“Anyway, yeah, so the kid’s staying with me now,” Mr. Stark said. Nebula glanced at him as he said that. 

“This mean you can’t show me those web-shooters?” 

“Rocket!” Several voices shouted at once, with an additional “I am Groot.” 

Peter actually gave a small laugh. “No, I can show them to you. Let’s go down to the lab, I’ll show you there.”

“Do you want me to come?” Mr. Stark asked. Peter did want him to come. But he also knew Mr. Stark probably needed to make sure the Guardians were set up okay. 

“No, it’s okay,” he answered. 

Mr. Stark stared at him for a minute, before saying “alright, but you guys better not destroy the place. And I’ll know if anything is missing, Raccoon! So don’t even try!”

“Yeah, yeah, we’ll see,” Rocket grinned as he followed Peter out of the kitchen, Groot ambling behind, having pulled out his video game. 

***

“How’s the kid really holding up, Stark?” Peter Quill asked Tony after those three left. 

Tony sighed. “I don’t know. He’s been having a hard time. Today’s actually the first time he willingly got out of bed all week. I don’t know what to do.” He didn’t know why he was confiding in these misfits, but it felt good to talk about what was going on. 

“Has the child gotten revenge yet?” Drax asked. 

“What? Drax no, that’s not going to help the kid right now,” Gamora glared. 

“It helped me,” Drax shrugged. 

Quill ignored them and turned to Tony again. “Hey… is there anything we can do to help? Maybe he can help in repairing our ship, that might be a good distraction?”

Tony blinked. That was actually a good idea and really thoughtful. “Uh, yeah, that would be great actually, the kid would love that,” he said with a sniff.

“Sweet! Little Peter is going to be a spaceship expert in no time!” Quill said, clapping his hands together. “And maybe he can take me around the city! I’d love to learn more about what Terra is like now!”

“Hm, maybe.” Tony answered. “Anyway, do you guys want to stay in the compound? There’s rooms in the hall to the left from here that you can take.”

“That would be great,” Gamora smiled thankfully. “Without power the ship isn’t the most comfortable to sleep in.”

“Okay, well let me show you around and then you can get yourselves set up.” Tony said, munching on a fry as he walked out of the kitchen. 

***

“And then I aim it somewhere, and a web attaches, and I can swing around!” Peter finished his explanation. Rocket was peering at the webshooters that Peter held, while Groot sat in a chair in the back playing a video game. 

“Huh,” the raccoon said. “But if you aim it at objects, you can pull them toward you?”

“Well, yeah, but I think part of that is because of my super strength as well. It catches people by surprise and I can get the items easily.”

“Oh yeah? Well maybe it wouldn’t be a bad idea to keep you around, then,” Rocket grinned, a glint in his eyes. Peter wasn’t sure what that meant, and he wasn’t sure he wanted to know. 

“So, you guys were chased by some other aliens?” He asked instead.

Rocket’s smile turned into a scowl. “Yeah… we were trying to get some meds to people on Torfa, but the guys we grabbed it from weren’t so happy about it. Almost blew up our ship. We managed to give them the slip though, and passed the meds on to Danvers. But everyone knows Terra is protected, so don’t worry about your backwards little home being attacked, even if they do find out we’re here.”

“Oh… that’s good?” Peter said. He set his webshooters down, and Rocket picked them up to inspect closer. The noise of Groot’s game continued on in the background.

“I gotta say, this isn’t bad for a kid from Terra,” Rocket said. He then hesitated, before asking “How are you holding up, kid? I know how it feels to lose people. I don’t wanna get all mushy, but I know it can be tough.” Rocket set the webshooters down, glancing over at Groot.

Peter didn’t really know what to say. Truthfully, he wasn’t holding up very well. It felt like everything in his life was just a thread away from being gone completely. First his parents, then Ben, May… he didn’t know what he would do if anyone else got taken away. And it was hard to even want to do anything without May’s bright smile lighting up his life. “It’s been hard,” he admitted.

Rocket nodded. “Well, I know Stark cares about you. And… ah, so do we. We’ve got your back, kid.”

Peter was touched. “Thank you,” he said. “That- that means a lot.”

“Yeah, don’t sweat it,” Rocket muttered. “C’mon, Groot, let’s go see what those morons are up to.” He patted Peter’s knees on his way out. Groot looked up from his game and gave Peter a smile as they walked out the door. Peter returned the smile, and then leaned back in his chair with a sigh once they were gone. He felt bad that Tony now had to stress about him on top of the Guardians. He didn’t think it was fair to the man, so he decided he was going to try and do better this week. He glanced at his suit and started fiddling with it, hoping to get his mind off of everything.

After about 30 minutes, the door opened and Mr. Stark entered. “Rodent didn’t take anything, did he?” He asked, glancing around.

Peter smiled, “No, you’re good, at least for now.”

Mr. Stark snorted. “Alright, well they’re setting up their rooms and making plans. I see you’re working on your suit, want any help?”

“Sure,” Peter said. Mr. Stark sat down and the two got to work, easing back into a bit of their routine from before the accident. Peter was glad, maybe he’d still get to have lab time with the man, even if he didn’t want to keep him. He forced those thoughts away, focusing on the task ahead of him, and time slipped away.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter's really going through it...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys I had a dream about seeing Endgame last night, (I'm seeing it Saturday night) and in my dream the movie was like... really disappointing?? Like just not good? Lol which is a scary thought, but I'm sure it's going to be amazing and beautiful and also soul crushing so I'm not really that worried. But it was a weird world to wake up to haha. 
> 
> Also btw even after I see the movie this story will have no spoilers!! I don't think it could anyway, but yeah, no worries there!
> 
> Anywayyy hope y'all enjoy this chapter! :)

They all watched a movie that night, Footloose as per Quill’s request, and the kid fell asleep halfway through. Tony brought him to bed and headed back to the common area. On his way back he stopped in the hallway, however, as he saw Pepper and Nebula in a conversation. He’d forgotten to tell Pepper the Guardians were here. He saw his wife move and give Nebula a hug, which the alien returned extremely uncomfortably. Pepper caught Tony’s eye and smiled.

“Alright, well I’m headed off to bed,” she said, “see you in a bit, Tony?” 

“Uh, yeah, I’ll be right there,” he said. Pepper turned and left, heading toward their room. “Sorry, she probably forgot that you like your space.” Tony said to Nebula.

“It’s okay,” she monotoned. “How’s the boy?”

“Oh, he’s alright, just sleeping,” Tony answered. Nebula nodded. 

“How… how are you?” She asked. They’d caught up a little this morning, but Tony knew she hadn’t wanted to say much with everyone around. Those two had been through a lot together, however, so it was nice to know she still cared.

“I’m… I’m fine. I think I might be in over my head, but I’m just glad the kid’s okay. At least physically. Are you doing alright?”

“Yes,” Nebula answered. She turned to go, but then she paused, looking back at Tony. “You are a good father. You are not like yours.”

Tony blinked. Father. He supposed, if Peter agreed to the adoption, that’s what he’d be. “Thanks,” he called back. “And I’ve said it before, but you’re not like that a-hole who raised you.”

Nebula glanced at him, expression unreadable. “Yeah,” she said, before finally leaving for her room.

Tony sighed. She’d reminded him that he’d still never asked Peter about adopting him. Now he didn’t know if he should, with all of the Guardians here. He’d wait until they left, that would probably be best.

He went to his room and Pepper was waiting for him. He kissed his wife and asked, “what were you and Nebula talking about?”

“Oh, I never really got a chance to properly thank her for looking out for you in space… so I finally told her.” She said, rubbing a hand down Tony’s arm. He hummed, enjoying her touch.

“Are you still going to work tomorrow? I’m not sure I can’t handle all these morons for a week.”

Pepper rolled her eyes. “Sorry, but the company still has to run. You’ll be okay. And I think it’ll be good for Peter.” 

“Yeah…” Tony sniffed. “I guess we’ll see.”

***

Peter wandered into the kitchen the next morning, grabbing a bagel, before noticing the Guardians were already there. He wasn’t sure how he really felt about the whole situation. They were really interesting, and he liked them. But May being gone was still so fresh, and he didn’t know if he could stand to be around others for very long.

“Hi Peter!” Gamora smiled at him, pulling him out of his thoughts. “How are you today?”

“Um…” Peter hesitated. He wasn’t really sure how to answer that.

“We’re gonna work on our ship today, do you want to help us out?” Quill asked, finishing a bite of toast.

Peter kind of did want to. But he also kind of wanted to curl up on the couch and block out the world. If he couldn’t save May, what right did he have to be happy? Logically he knew that was wrong to think, but his resolve to do better had withered away in the night. “I don’t know guys…” he said. “I just don’t think I’m feeling up to it today.”

Quill frowned. “Oh, well that’s okay. Maybe tomorrow?”

“Uh, maybe,” Peter answered. Mr. Stark walked in then, going straight to the coffee. 

“Oh, Peter, you’re up!” he said with his eyebrows lifted. “Are these guys bothering you?” 

Rocket snorted. “Nah man, and don’t worry, we’ll be out of your hair soon. Let’s go guys, we have a ship to repair.” The rest of the Guardians nodded, waving goodbye to Peter and Mr. Stark before following him out of the kitchen.

There was a bit of an awkward silence as Peter and Mr Stark sat at the counter, sipping coffee or eating a bagel.

“So…” Mr Stark spoke, eyes soft and looking to Peter’s, “you weren’t feeling up to working on the ship?” 

“Not really,” Peter mumbled, eyes lowered. He knew Mr. Stark wanted to help him, but he just wasn’t feeling up to anything right now. He finished his bite and stood up.

“That’s okay,” Mr. Stark said. “Would you wanna help me in the lab today?”

“No, I think I’ll go back to my room…” Peter muttered, heading out. Leaving his room in the first place might have been a mistake. He didn’t look back when he left, feeling guilty. 

He got halfway to his room before he had to stop. He slid down the wall in the hallway, dissolving into tears. He was such a mess! Everyone just wanted to help him, and he couldn’t keep it together! Eventually they would realize he wasn’t worth it. He put his arms around his knees, letting his head fall into them as he sobbed. Why was he like this? Why did everyone he loved get taken from him? Why was life so hard? Sometimes he wished he could just leave, so he wouldn’t have to deal with all of this.

He stayed like that for a minute, letting the tears fall. His face felt hot and flushed, and he knew he looked like a mess. Eventually, he turned and sank sideways, just laying there on the floor. He started to simply feel numb, which was better than feeling the pain.

Mr. Stark’s footsteps approached. “Peter?” he whispered hesitantly. “Oh, kid…” Mr. Stark sat down next to Peter, running a hand through his hair. Peter closed his eyes, not moving. He heard Mr. Stark’s heartbeat speed up. “Look kid, I know it sucks. I’m so so sorry. There’s nothing I can say that could make it better. And I know I’m not the best person to be stuck with. I’ve already let you down too many times, and I’m scared- I’m scared I’m going to fail you again. I’m sorry. But- but I’m here for you kid. It will get better, eventually. I pr- I promise, kid. It will.” 

Peter didn’t respond, and more tears glided down his face. It felt like this darkness would never end. He laid there longer, still mostly feeling numb, but he was glad Mr. Stark was there and that he wasn’t alone. After a while, he thought he heard Mr. Stark’s heartbeat pick up more. The hand running through his hair got shakier. His mentor started taking deep breaths. Peter finally glanced up, and he saw tears running down his mentor’s face. Was he freaking out because of Peter?

“Mr. Stark… are you okay?” Peter asked.

The man blinked, eyes finding focus on Peter’s, and then he let out a shaky laugh. “Am I- am I okay? Yeah, kid, it’s you I’m worried about. How are you feeling now?”

Peter sat up, going for a hug. His mentor returned it tightly, both of them trying to calm down. “I’m sorry I’m like this,” Peter choked out. “I’m sorry I stress you out and make you worry. I’ll try to be better.”

Mr. Stark pulled away to look into Peter’s eyes. “No, kid. You don’t have to be better. What you’re going through… it’s awful. And I would worry no matter what, it’s my job, okay? I care about you. I’ll never stop worrying about you, and that’s okay.” Peter could see how sincere Mr. Stark was. His eyes showed his concern and love, and a weird mixture of warmth and guilt blossomed in Peter’s chest as he took in his words.

He sniffled, nodding. “Okay. Okay. I just… I miss her.”

Mr. Stark sighed. “Yeah, buddy, I know. But she’ll always be with you, and she would want you to be happy. She’d want you to live your life.”

Peter knew, deep down, that this was true. It was just hard to believe. But he could try. “I know,” he said. “Maybe… maybe I will go help the Guardians work on their ship today. That would- that would be cool.”

Mr. Stark smiled. “Yeah kiddo, it would. But take your time, okay? You don’t have to rush into anything.”

“I know,” Peter said. And he did. It would be okay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haha tbh this chapter kind of got away from me. I've been wanting to get to more of my main plot, but clearly Peter just wasn't quite ready yet, and needed another Irondad moment. Poor kid... (Also Tony and Nebula are definitely bff's idk if that will be a spoiler or not but it's for sure my headcannon lol). The next chapter will be where it starts to kick off a bit more! :)
> 
> Hope you guys liked it! Leave a comment of your thoughts or even suggestions! <3


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Peter is presented with options...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys...... I saw Endgame. I talk a little about my thoughts in the *(parenthesis)* here below, so skip those if you haven't seen it, although I don't think I say anything that spoilery, it's just for caution. I didn't post yesterday bc tbh I couldn't focus on anything until I saw it. And it's out later today bc I've been processing lol...
> 
> *(Okay so like I'm so depressed. I'm not okay. I think I'm in shock tbh. Wow. But there were also really good parts so idk. As far as this story goes- I have an idea of how I could make a part of the movie work with my story, like a branch off of a moment in the film that fixes it, and I have an explanation for it and everything, but I'm not sure if I should do that. Even if I do, I'd wait a few weeks and post a spoiler warning, but we'll see. Lmk if you'd want that. But regardless, this story is clearly an AU anyway, so I'm not going to worry too much about Endgame, as it doesn't change the story I'm writing.)*
> 
> Also, I've now caught up to my writing, AND I have a really busy week coming up. That means I might be slower to post the next chapter. It may take more than a week but I promise I won't let it go too long. I'm determined to finish this story no matter what! So thanks to all who have read and commented and given me kudos, it really encourages me to keep going! And with that, I hope you enjoy this next chapter!

“Just hold it like this right here,” Rocket explained, and Peter did as he was told, fascinated as the ship started to repair itself in that spot. When he’d come back after Titan, he’d never really gotten a chance to look at the Guardian’s spaceship, as everyone was so busy with reunions. It was actually really cool, now that he was spending time learning about it. Mr. Stark had said that he’d spent enough time in the ship already and had some work to catch up on, though, but he let Peter know he could message him if he needed to.

“We’ve damaged this ship more times than I can count,” Star-Lord shouted from the front where he was working on repairs there. “Luckily we know how to fix it up!”

“Do you ever add improvements so it won’t get damaged as much?” Peter asked. “Maybe we could add some more stuff to it while we work on it!”

“Unless we can get some hands on some of that vibranium, I don’t know how anything on Terra could improve this ship.” Rocket said. Peter frowned. Mr. Stark had some vibranium, but not enough to really do anything useful for the spaceship. Still, he figured he might see what he could come up with.

“So, little Peter,” Gamora came over and started working next to him, “what is your favorite thing about Terra?”

“Oh! Well I mean it’s my home, so I love a lot about it. Music and movies are great. But mostly I think I just love how good people can be. I know there’s a lot of bad, but there’s also a lot of good, and it makes me want to keep going. I help people, but I’m not the only one. It’s nice.” Gamora smiled, and Peter added, “It would be cool to see more of space though! I bet you guys see lots of amazing things. Like real life Star Wars!”

“Oh, it’s so much better than Star Wars!” The other Peter protested.

“Well you haven’t seen all of them!” Peter shouted back. 

“There’s more?!” Quill gasped. “Okay, well we should watch them tonight!” Peter laughed at that. He was always down to watch Star Wars. “But still, space is awesome. Dude! You should totally come on a trip with us once we’re ready to leave!”

“W-what?” Peter looked up.

“Yeah! You can be an honorary Guardian! It would be good to have another kid Groot’s age around. And you could see more of space!” Quill grinned.

“And you could help us with some jobs, using your spider powers,” Rocket joined in. “If you’re good enough, maybe it could be a permanent gig.”

“I like young Peter!” Mantis jumped in. “You should come with us!”

Peter stared at everyone. Nebula was watching him from the other side of the ship, a small frown on her face. The rest had identical grins, save for Groot, who was still playing his game, but even he seemed to be listening. 

This felt like a glimmer of hope. Everything seemed so dark, but the idea that he could just leave it all behind and go on an adventure in space with the Guardians, and see more of the universe- it was like a salve against a burning pain. He imagined it, leaving all of his worries on earth, and helping to save the universe, the actual universe. And would he really have that much to leave behind? Mr. Stark had been working on communicators that could work from space, so he could still talk to him and Ned and MJ. And this way he wouldn’t have to be a burden on the man. He felt another flash of guilt, remembering how worked up Mr. Stark got over Peter that morning. It would be better for both of them if Peter left. The more he thought about the Guardian’s offer, the better it sounded.

“Wow, guys,” he finally replied. “That sounds- that sounds amazing! That would be so cool!”

“Alright!” Quill pumped a fist in the air. “Peter 2.0, welcome to the crew!”

“This Peter is cuter than you, Quill,” Drax intoned. “He is the better Peter.”

“Man, you’re never on my side!” Quill groaned. Peter smiled at the exchange, looking forward to spending more time with the Guardians. He passed Rocket another tool and refocused on repairing the ship, the dark cloud above him feeling a few shades lighter. 

***

They’d eaten a quick lunch on the ship and worked more, before finally heading in for dinner. Mr. Stark had ordered shawarma, and it was waiting for them inside, along with the man himself and Pepper. Peter wandered over to them, grabbing some food on the way.

“Did you have fun working on the ship?” Mr. Stark asked, ruffling his hair. Peter leaned into the touch with a small smile.

“Yeah, it was really cool actually! And they said I could go with them on a trip through space after it’s all fixed up, and maybe even join the Guardian’s officially!” Peter said, shoveling food into his mouth. Mr. Stark’s hand froze on Peter’s head.

“They what?” he hissed, looking around at the aliens’ faces. Peter saw Pepper purse her lips beside her husband. 

Quill spoke up, meeting Mr. Stark’s eyes. “Uh, yeah, we thought it might be good for the kid to get away for awhile, you know? It’ll be fun! Just for a little while, although we’d welcome him if he wants to join up for real.” He looked happy with himself, and he beamed at Peter.

“Yeah, those sticky hands could be quite useful,” Rocket added.

Mr. Stark glared at them. “And you didn’t think to ask me? I’m the kid’s guardian! He can’t just go off on some space adventure, he’s a child!”

“Hey, I was way younger than him when I got abducted, and I was fine! Groot’s a teen and he’s alright! The kid can take care of himself.” Star-Lord frowned.

“I am Groot!” the Tree said.

“Tony, we don’t want to cause any problems,” Gamora said. “But it might be good for him. And besides, he told us he’d like to come. We’ll take care of him.”

The man turned to Peter, who’d been watching the exchange with wide eyes. “Is that true, kid? You want to go with them?” Their eyes met and Peter heard Mr. Stark’s heart beating fast. He knew he was stressing the man out, and he knew his mentor had trauma when it came to space. But Peter could take care of himself, and he wanted to stop being a burden for Mr. Stark. He hated that he was the cause of so much stress. It would be better if he was out of the way.

“Yeah,” he answered, looking away. “It would be cool.”

Mr. Stark scoffed. “Cool. It would be cool. Kid, space is dangerous. These guys are morons. I don’t think you’ve thought this through. You can’t just-”

“I can!” Peter suddenly stood up, shouting. Mr. Stark jumped back, eyes wide. Peter didn’t know why, but he really just wanted this conversation to be over. “May is gone! I have nothing left and I’m sick of everyone I care about dying! It would be really nice to just get off this planet for a bit and now I actually can! I can be useful, and help out! I just- I don’t want to be here anymore!” His voice broke at that. “So I’m gonna go with them, okay? I want to.” At that, he turned away and ran to his room, not turning around at Mr. Stark’s shouted “Kid!” behind him. 

His aunt was gone. What did he have to hold him back? He wanted to be a Guardian. 

***

Tony was freaking out. Those alien morons just had to come in and make everything worse. 

“We just thought it would be helpful…” Quill muttered after Peter had left the kitchen.

“I don’t want to hear it from you!” Tony shouted. Pepper put a hand on his shoulder, but he shrugged it off, leaving the kitchen and heading toward his lab. Once there, he let himself experience his panic fully. The kid wanted to leave him. The kid wanted to go to space, of all places! Tony wouldn’t be able to protect him there, but apparently the kid didn’t even want his protection. He didn’t even want Tony. Tony always knew in the back of his mind that he was a terrible guardian, but to see it confirmed was something else. The kid preferred those idiots over him. And did he even have a real right to stop him? He was still just a temporary guardian. Maybe it really was in the kid’s best interest to get away for awhile, and besides, he knew Peter would leave anyway if he seriously wanted to.

“Of course he wants to leave,” Tony mumbled to himself, sinking to the floor in a corner of his lab. He grabbed his hair with his hands. “Why would he stay with someone who can’t even take care of himself? You’re not good enough for the kid.” Tony’s breathing was picking up more, and he squeezed his eyes shut as he tried to get ahold of himself. He sat there shaking until he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder.

“Tony…” Pepper spoke. Tony opened his eyes and met hers, which were filled with compassion. “It’s okay. Come on, breath with me, one, two…”

Tony followed his wife’s breathing until he felt himself finally calm down a little. “Pep… the kid doesn’t want to be here. He doesn’t want me. I knew I wasn’t good enough.” He felt tears run down his face as he spoke.

Pepper frowned. “That kid loves you, Tony. He’s just going through a hard time. He’ll come around.”

Tony wasn’t so sure. “Before or after he gets himself killed in space, thanks to those morons?”

Pepper pulled Tony into a hug. “I know, Tony. I don’t think the Guardians meant anything bad when they offered, they were just trying to help. If Peter really does choose to go with them… well, he’s strong, he’ll be okay. I don’t think he’ll actually want to stay with them forever. And you’ve been working on those communicators, so you could stay in touch, right?” 

“Yeah, but if he gets hurt, I won’t be able to help him. Pep, I can’t lose him again. I don’t know what I’d do. But I don’t know how to stop this.”

He felt her arms around his back, rubbing gentle circles. “We’ve still got time this week to convince him to stay. I know how much that kid adores you, Tony. It’ll be okay. And you are good enough, I don’t want to hear you say otherwise.” Tony shook his head but didn’t speak. He just knew he was going to lose the kid, and it was going to be his fault. “Tony…” Pepper sighed. 

“Yeah, okay, I’m sorry honey. Thanks for being here for me. I think I’m gonna work on those communicators now, actually, so you can go ahead and head up. I’ll be okay now, promise.” Tony said, pulling away and giving Pepper a squeeze. She saw right through him.

“I don’t want you working yourself to death down here. It’s not healthy.”

“Pep, please. I need to work on something to distract myself, and it might as well be that.”

His wife sighed. “Alright,” she acquiesced. “But I’m going to make FRIDAY alert me if she thinks you need anything. And don’t stay up too late, you really need to get some sleep.”

Tony mustered up a smile. “Yeah, okay honey. I love you.”

“I love you too,” Pepper kissed Tony before heading out of the lab. He watched her leave, before turning to one of his desks and pulling out materials, throwing the plans for his communicators up on a holoscreen. 

“Alright, Iron Man. Time to get to work.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you'd like to see more of my thoughts about Endgame, I made a pretty long venty post about it on my Tumblr lol https://slytherinfinity.tumblr.com/ and you're welcome to message me about it if you want! I'd love to discuss the movie with more people haha. But please DON"T talk about specifics in the comments of this story! I don't want others to get spoiled for the movie! 
> 
> Alright, that's all, until next time! :)


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A day in New York :)
> 
> (I'm honestly so bad at summaries lol. Sorry y'all.)

“Are you sure this is actually edible?” Gamora frowned, inspecting the food truck hot dog like it was a radioactive substance. 

Quill grinned, chewing his own hot dog, another in his hand. “Uh, yeah. And it’s like a staple in New York, or at least I think I remember hearing that!” The words came out a bit muffled, and Peter laughed, finishing his third hot dog.

“Just try it! You’ll like it!” He encouraged Gamora once his mouth was free. She took a cautious bite, frowning. 

“It’s not bad…” she said, “Actually, it’s pretty good!” She grinned and finished it off in a couple more bites. Mantis beamed and ate hers as well, a baseball cap on her head in an attempt to hide her antennae. Drax scratched at the shirt he’d been told to wear, looking uncomfortable.

They continued walking, Peter taking them to many of his favorite sites. That morning, he’d wandered to the kitchen for breakfast, and to his guilty relief, Mr. Stark hadn’t been there. But the Guardians had, and Quill again expressed his desire to see the sights of the city. Peter offered to take them, and asked FRIDAY to ask Mr. Stark if he could take a car and go out. It took almost a minute, but FRIDAY soon responded that he could. Rocket had wanted to stay behind to work more on the ship, however, and Groot couldn’t be bothered to move. Nebula said she didn’t want to leave either, so that left the four of them to tour New York with Peter as the guide.

Being back in the city was bittersweet. He had so many great memories here, from being Spiderman and from being Peter Parker. But many of these memories also included May, and Ben as well, and it dimmed the experience a bit.

They walked toward Times Square. “This isn’t really any local’s favorite place to be, but I figured you guys should see it.” Peter said. 

Even though it was the middle of a weekday, Times Square was crowded as usual. People and cars were mingling through the streets, the billboards were flashing, some guy in a knock-off Hulk costume tried to get money from them, someone tried to give money to Gamora, and there was a group of teens on a side street blasting music and dancing, recording themselves on their phones.

“That doesn’t seem like the the same kind of dancing you were telling me about, Peter.” Gamora remarked to Quill. He was watching the teens as well.

“Yeah, wow… even dancing has changed since I’ve been gone!” He frowned for a second, before trying to copy some of their moves. “It’s kind of fun!”

“You are not even doing the same thing,” Drax laughed. “You look like an idiot!”

“Yeah, an idiot!” Mantis cheered.

Quill protested, “I’m doing the moves right! C’mon, Gamora, try it with me!”

She rolled her eyes, but she couldn’t completely hide her smile. “I’m not doing that, Peter. It looks ridiculous.”

“It’s about having fun! What about you, kid, you know these moves?” Quill asked.

Peter had been watching the conversation with an amused expression. The dance moves were some of the popular ones found on the internet, and Quill was definitely doing them wrong. But he enjoyed watching the Guardians interact with each other, it was a nice distraction. Instead of responding, however, he simply started dancing.

“Oh! Little Peter is doing them right!” Drax said. “This is another way he is superior to you, Quill!”

Mantis grinned and tried copying Peter’s dancing as well. 

“Aw, shut up, Drax! You can’t dance at all!” Quill scoffed. He then turned to Peter. “You’ll just have to teach me all the new dance moves Earth has had in the last 30 years when we go on our trip!”

“Uh, that might take a while…” Peter said. Still, it might be fun. He’d just have to do some research first. They walked on, stopping by some more sites, and even a few shops. Quill and Gamora bought matching “I <3 New York” shirts, and a few more cheesy souvenirs for the team. Peter drove them around as well, so they could stop at Central Park and the Empire State building. He avoided his part of Queens, however. He didn’t think he could face going back there just yet. He was almost tempted to go to the MoMa, but that brought back other bad memories. They wandered through the Met at the end of the day, however, and Gamora seemed impressed with some of the art, while Drax enjoyed laughing at everything in the medieval sections. 

Eventually, they made their way back to the compound. Peter’s fingers twitched on the steering wheel as they pulled into the large garage. He hadn’t heard from Mr. Stark all day, but Pepper had texted and asked how his day was, and then requested a few pictures. He’d taken some and sent them to her throughout the day. 

They headed into the common area, and no one seemed to be around. 

“FRIDAY, where is everyone?” Peter asked the AI.

“Boss is in the lab, Mrs. Stark is in their room, and the rest of the Guardians are in their ship,” she replied.

“Oh, okay,” he said. “Um, I’m gonna go talk to Mr. Stark…” he told the four. They nodded and wandered off in the direction of their ship. Peter blew out a breath and headed to the lab.

***

Tony didn’t really sleep last night. He’d worked on the communicators he was developing, essentially glorified cell phones, as well as the satellites with crazy range he was going to send off with them. In the morning, FRIDAY forwarded Peter’s request to go out into the city with the aliens. He didn’t really want to let the kid go, but he felt selfish thinking that, as it probably would be good for the kid to go out, so he said it was fine. He stayed in the lab and turned to other tasks, like a stronger Spiderman suit. 

In the middle of the day, there was a knock on the door, and Tony saw the raccoon knocking. He rolled his eyes but let him in.

“If you're here for any of Peter’s webbing, you can’t have it.”

Rocket grinned. “No, I’m not here for that, but I’m sure I can get some from the kid later. I wanted to see if you had any of that Vibranium stuff that I could add to the ship.”

“Not really, there’s only enough for a few smaller weapons. I’m already using most of what I have for some other projects, sorry.” Tony said, not actually feeling very sorry. There were a few samples next to him on the desk, but he slid them away as Rocket approached.

The rodent hopped up onto the desk and started peering at the designs for the Spidersuit that Tony hadn’t swiped away. “You’re using some Vibranium for the kid’s suit?”

Tony sniffed. “Yeah, it’s more protective. He needs it.” It was slightly surreal, to be talking about this with a talking raccoon, but then again, he's seen stranger things.

“Kid seems pretty strong to me already,” Rocket muttered, still swiping through the plans. Tony turned them off and Rocket looked up at him, eyes contemplative.

“You really care about the kid, don’t you,” he said.

“Well, he’s a good kid who doesn’t deserve everything that’s happened to him,” Tony looked away, focusing on a desk in the back of the lab. 

“That’s not really an answer,” Rocket said. Then he sighed. “Look, Stark, I get it. Groot may not be my actual kid, but he’s as good as. I’d do anything for him. And I can tell you feel the same about Peter. But the kid’s old enough to make his own decisions. It might be good for him to get away from it all for a bit. We’ll watch out for him. Nothing’s gonna happen.”

“You don’t know that,” Tony glared, turning to face the raccoon again. “It’s space, crazy things happen there all the time. The last time Peter and I were there… it wasn’t exactly camping in the backyard. He died. And I can’t… I can’t lose him again.”

“Groot died on Terra, and yet here we are again. But you’ve gotta think about what they want, about what’s best for them.”

Tony scoffed incredulously. “You just want the kid for his powers, so you can make some more money. You don’t care about him. You don’t even know him, so don’t talk to me about what’s best for him.”

Rocket just stared, before hopping down and shaking his head. “We’re just trying to help, Stark. Losing people, it’s hard. We all know what that’s like. But don’t you Terrans have a saying, ‘if you love someone, let them go’? If Groot were to ever want to leave me, yeah I’d be upset… but I’d like to think I’d let him.” He walked up to the door, but he turned around as he was about to leave. “And besides, it probably won’t be forever. Kid cares about you too much for that.” The doors closed behind him and Tony sighed. 

He pulled up the plans for Peter’s suit again, and as he reached for some of the Vibranium samples he’d been working with, he realized they were gone.

“Son of a- I’m gonna kill him and then I’m gonna hang him on a wall,” he growled out, before placing his head in his hands and staring at the desk. He shouldn’t have been surprised. He was more angry at what the raccoon had said. Or, rather, not so much what he had said… but that he felt it might be true. It hurt, it hurt so much, but maybe Peter really was better off without him. Like he’d said last night to Pepper, he wasn’t good enough for the kid. And maybe he never would be. It was that thought that hurt the most. Peter deserved someone without all of Tony’s issues. The Guardians were morons, but they’d already cheered Peter up more than Tony had since May died.

He felt a tear roll down his cheek and he wiped it away angrily. Now was not the time to be moping. If Peter really was going to leave, then he needed to make sure he would be protected. He got back to work, and was only mildly surprised to hear the door open again sometime later.

“Pep, I swear I’ll get some food and sleep, just give me a minute,” he said, still working on the suit.

“Uh, it’s me, Mr. Stark,” Peter’s voice answered back and Tony whirled around in his chair. 

“Oh, hey kid! What’s up?” Tony said, trying to keep himself calm. The kid stepped in hesitantly, as if he was afraid he’d be kicked out or something.

“Um, can we talk?” he asked, looking almost tearful. 

“Of course!” Tony said, maybe a little too enthusiastically. The kid sat down next to him and took a deep breath. Tony readied himself for this conversation, however it may go. At least the kid wanted to talk. He focused his eyes on the kid, willing himself to listen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Sorry this is so late! I've actually recently moved (To NYC, actually!) for a full-time internship, so it's been crazy and that's probably going to take up a lot of my time. Therefore, my updating schedule will likely not be very consistent, so apologies in advance for that. I'm just having to write when I can find time, and there's a lot to do in New York! But I'm for sure going to finish this story, and I'm hoping to do that before the end of the summer. I have other story ideas but I want to finish this before I move on to something new. 
> 
> But enough about my life! I just hope y'all enjoyed this chapter! The image of Quill doing like those Fortnite dances was in my head, so I obviously had to write it haha. Let me know what y'all thought in the comments! Until next time!


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